


Poolside Scene

by crescentlesl



Category: Fig and Ford
Genre: Gen, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-17 02:43:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11266278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescentlesl/pseuds/crescentlesl
Summary: Sparkling ingenue Wilhelmina Vanderjetski returns to beguile the silver screen in "Summer in the Countryside" as Sally Cox, a poor orphan invited to a classmate's country home for the summer. Sally has one goal for the summer: study as hard as she can for the entrance exams to university, so she can get a scholarship and finally change her life. She has no time for Jonathan Rochester (Samuel R. Stone), a spoiled pretty-boy who only knows how to waste his family's money. Will romance blossom?One scene from "Summer in the Countryside," where Sally and Jonathan meet at the swimming pool.





	Poolside Scene

**Author's Note:**

> For background on who sparkling ingenue Wilhelmina Vanderjetski is, check out the Fig and Ford kickstarter! Here's the link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1029702011/the-case-of-the-gilded-lily

EXT. HOUSE POOL - DAY

SALLY COX is lounging on a towel next to the pool. She's wearing a neat, conservative bathing costume, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. She looks very cute, and also very engaged in the heavy book she's reading.

JONATHAN ROCHESTER enters the pool area, also dressed in a bathing costume with towel across his shoulders. When he spots Sally, he's initially startled to see anyone else, then smiles fondly as he takes in her appearance. Approaching her, he schools his face into a well-practiced smirk.

 

 

JONATHAN  
Reading up on how to swim, Miss Cox?

Sally jumps, then turns to face Jonathan. She's probably glaring, but it's hard to tell through the sunglasses.

SALLY  
Well, hello, Mr. Rochester.  
I should've known you'd pop up to disturb me.

JONATHAN  
Oh, don't call me that. Please, call me Jonathan.  
Makes me feel less like a brooding Gothic bigamist.

SALLY (taking off sunglasses to peer curiously at Jonathan)  
I didn't know you were familiar with the works of Bronte.  
I was unaware you could read at all.

JONATHAN  
You wound me, Miss Cox. I daresay I could do a passable job  
elocuting from that tome you've got there.

SALLY (laughing)  
I daresay you could not.

He sits next to her at the pool's edge, and she passes the book to him. The chemistry between them is palpable.

JONATHAN (staring at the book in dismay)  
This isn't in English. In fact, I think...[flipping through a few pages]...yes.  
It's all Greek to me.

He makes an aborted motion to let the book slide into the water. Sally gasps angrily, and he quickly gives the book back to her, trademark smirk in place.

SALLY (trying not to smile)  
It's _Latin_ , you uncultured cretin!

JONATHAN  
Ah, yes, of course. Clearly, private education was wasted on me.

The mention of education is a sensitive subject for Sally (who, after all, isn't reading Latin for fun). She stiffens slightly.

SALLY (a little coolly)  
Private education is wasted on most who are given the opportunity.  
Meanwhile, I'll be lucky to get into university at all,  
especially if you insist on distracting me from my studies.

JONATHAN  
My apologies. I'll leave you to your Latin.

Sally looks as if she regrets her unkind words, but simply grips her book a little more tightly as Jonathan gets ready to enter the pool.

SALLY  
Try not to splash me.

Jonathan enters the pool smoothly, with barely a ripple. He turns to face Sally with a look of mock hurt.

JONATHAN  
I would never.

They smile at each other for a moment.

JONATHAN  
The water's fine. Are you sure you don't want to  
at least dangle your feet in?

SALLY  
I'd better not. If I dip so much as a toe,  
I could find myself submerged before I know it.

The air is thick with hidden meanings as Sally and Jonathan stare at each other. Finally, Jonathan looks away.

JONATHAN  
Suit yourself. I'll just swim some laps then I'll be out of your hair.

Sally nods and Jonathan swims away. She tries to return her attention to her book but can't actually stop watching him. Her eyes linger on his gleaming muscles, etc. She's utterly distracted.

Jonathan stops swimming a few yards away from where she sits. He stands in the water for a moment and she can't take her eyes away from him. His wet hair looks amazing somehow. He meets her eyes and starts walking toward her, never looking away. As he gets closer, she slowly, delicately puts one toe in the water.

**Author's Note:**

> I guess not everybody has to learn Latin to get into college, not even in the 1930s. Maybe she's an overachiever (or maybe the screenwriter just thought it would sound cool).  
> (This particular screenwriter has never done anything in screenplay format before, but it was fun to try something new.)


End file.
